


In Which Jade Harley Proves Herself to be Both Competent and Sensitive, Earning Much Love and Respect (Or, Jade makes John feel less like shit and plans are made)

by GemmaRose



Series: Demonstuck [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jade is the best sister ever, Rape Aftermath, Siblings being cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2018-01-01 09:40:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1043319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GemmaRose/pseuds/GemmaRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few hours after Dave has left, Jade comes over. John has to deal with the fact that he is now the very thing he has been raised to despise. At least he's got a sister who's willing to listen, rather than blow his head right off his shoulders.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Which Jade Harley Proves Herself to be Both Competent and Sensitive, Earning Much Love and Respect (Or, Jade makes John feel less like shit and plans are made)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Demonstuck](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/30718) by my-friend-the-frog. 



Your name is Jade Harley, and your half-brother is an idiot. You love him, though. How could you not? He's your brother, your hunting partner, and your best friend after Bec. You're pretty sure that requires loving him.

His door is unlocked, and you shake your head with a smile. Poor idiot must have been too tired to lock it behind himself when he got home. “John~” you call out, kicking the oak slab shut and dropping your backpack next to his. “If you're still asleep, I'm gonna give you a shaving cream Santa beard!”

No answer. You smile and climb the stairs to his room, pausing in the bathroom to grab a can of shaving cream. He'll appreciate the prank, he always does. You push open the door to his room, and the shaving cream falls from your hand. The bed is made. John never makes his bed, and there's no housekeeper to do it for him, which means someone else was in here. You draw the shades and flick on the blacklight lamp, and gasp. Every sigil has been disturbed, either smeared or drawn over to make it utterly useless.

“John!” you yell, running out of the room and sliding down the banister. The door at the bottom of the basement stairs is open, the room beyond dark. John never leaves it open, and if Strider had escaped he would've at least sent you a text.

“John, are you-”

“Don't.”

You freeze, hand halfway to the light switch.

“The switch is electrocuted.”

You pull your hand back. “What happened?” your eyes flick across the room, cataloguing what little you can see.

“Strider got loose, he was waiting for me.”

You pull out your phone and turn on its flashlight function, swinging it slowly across the cement floor. The circle is ruined, the chains are snapped and the cuffs mangled, but the disturbing part is where it all is. Right at the base of the post, laying in a puddle of blood and vomit and what looks almost disturbingly like some sort of dairy product.

“He attacked you?”

John shudders, and when you train the light on him he flinches, ducking his head and covering it with his arms. He's covered in blood, his shirt is in tatters, and there's a hole in the back of his pants. You've watched enough cop shows to know what those things add up to, but you don't want to believe it. Quickly you pan the beam over to the light switch, and you can practically feel him relax.

“How long ago did he leave?” you ask quietly, unhooking the battery jumper cables from the metal plate and flicking the first switch. Three incandescent bulbs flicker to life, and you tuck your phone back into your jacket pocket.

John is curled up again, trembling like a frightened rabbit as you approach him. “Please, Jade, can we not talk about Strider?”

You press your lips into a thin line. Sollux and Karkat will definitely be hunting with you tonight, and the redeyed Strider will be your main prey. “Okay. Let's talk about you, then.” you walk around in front of him and crouch a respectful distance away. “Do you want me to get you some comfort food? Cue up a movie? Run you a bath?”

He sniffles, something you haven't heard him do since he turned fourteen, and shakes his head minutely.

“Do you want to go hunting tonight?” you reach out and squeeze his shoulder, the wordless signal of support you've both used for ages. He's warm to the touch through his thin shirt, and you know he's felt you stiffen up when he jerks his shoulder away.

“Jade, please.” his voice is thick with tears, and you shift a little closer. “I don't want to hurt you.”

He lifts his head, and lets his arms fall to wrap around his knees. His glowing eyes are almost as frightening as his pointed ears, but the implications are most frightening of all. “He bit you.” you whisper, reaching out to cup his cheek. He's as warm as sunlight, or a high fever, but his eyes are clear and sharp behind the tears.

He nods, covering your hand with his own. It's like reaching into the oven to pull out a pizza, warm but not quite uncomfortable. His tears are warm as well, like a hot shower, and without thinking you pull him into a hug.

“I'll make this right, John. I promise. We can tell the others Strider got the jump on you, and you can hunt with us, and I'm certain the school will let you take your classes online if-”

“Jade.”

You stop and pull away, giving his shoulders a squeeze. “This'll be okay, you'll see.”

“No, it won't.” he pulls away and stands up, so you follow suite. He's only barely an inch taller than you, but somehow that difference seems a lot bigger now. “Jade, I can hear your heartbeat.”

“So?”

“It's making me **hungry**.”

You step back, bringing one hand to your throat. “Oh. Well you haven't attacked me yet, or anyone else I'm pretty sure. Maybe there's even a way to turn you back if you haven't done anything bad yet!”

“Please, Jade. Stop. You should kill me now, before I become like the rest of them.”

You force your hands to your sides. “John, no. You won't lose yourself, you're an Egbert!”

“Not much of one. My dad was twice the hunter I am, and my Nana was more efficient than me when she was 90. I'm just a dorky wannabe.”

You take two steps forward and smack your half-sibling across the face. “Those are Strider's words, not yours. You're the best hunter of our generation after Jane, and if I kill you it'll be because you pissed me off, not because you're throwing yourself some fucking pity party. Strider assaulted you? Come out with us tonight and shoot his douchey ass. Or stay here and wallow in your misery, your choice.”

He stares at you dumbly for a moment, then chuckles. “I hate it when you pull the big-sister card, you know that?”

You smile and punch his shoulder. “Yeah. Now grab your shit and go get yourself cleaned up. Take as long as you need, it's a few hours yet til dark.”

“But my room is full of wards and traps. I'd never make it to the dresser.”

You sigh. “It would appear that Strider was in there. Every single sigil has been rendered useless. He even put your laundry in the hamper and made your bed.”

John shudders. “Ugh, I won't be able to sleep there for at least a week.”

“Go, get yourself cleaned up.” you glance at his neck and frown. “I'll call Jane. We'll need to cover those marks on your neck if you don't want everyone to know.”

John smiles relievedly, and perhaps the fangs are a bit disarming but it's definitely the smile you recognise from countless close calls. “You're the best sister ever, Jade. And is it too late to ask you to cue up Con Air?”

You groan theatrically. “Oh come ON, John. I don't understand how you can stand to watch that stupid thing.”

He pouts, and the way his ears droop makes it unexpectedly effective. “Please?”

“Fine, but I'm not making popcorn.”

“Yes you will~” he shouts down the stairs. You smile and shake your head, picking up his phone and iPod as you leave the room. The door shuts behind you, and you slide the deadbolt home. Pulling out one of your fat, industrial strength sharpies, you re-draw the wards on the door. John won't be wanting to get in there any time soon anyways, and its always better to be safe than sorry.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just gonna say this now, John is NOT completely over the fact that he was raped. He's sorta repressing it at the moment, and this _will_ have negative repercussions later. Please leave your comments and constructive criticism in the box down there :)


End file.
